Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Wed Jul 23rd Todays News

There are lots of reasons Nazis lost WW2. On the Eastern front, German troops were fewer than Soviet troops, and, although better equipped and trained, the equipment was not cold proof. Training assumed the use of equipment, but it was not reliable. Boots were not insulated. Oil was not treated with anti freeze. But, on this day in 1942, Germany launched the delightfully named and successful operation Edelweiss to secure Caucasus oil fields which supplied their industry. Edelweiss is a flower, and when Oscar Hammerstein II wanted to write a lyric for the Sound of Music where the Captain Von Trapp would wave goodbye to his homeland, he chose the flower's name. The song is the best remembered piece from the musical, and released months before his death, a fitting tribute. Today, Russia is looking to reassert her authority in the Caucasus too.

Edelweiss, Edelweiss

Every morning you greet me

Small and white clean and bright

You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow

Bloom and grow forever

Edelweiss,Edelweiss

Bless my homeland forever.

In 1319, the poorly namedKnights Hospitaller fleet scored a crushing victory over Turkish pirates. Today, the St John's Ambulance are more efficient. In 1632, 300 settlers set sail for New France, which is covered by territory from Louisiana through to Quebec. In 1829, the first patented typewriter was submitted. In 1903, Henry Ford's company sold its' first car. In 1914, Austria Hungary demanded Serbia allow Austria access to determine those responsible for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Serbia failed on one count, and so war was declared. Salient to today's demand on Russia over Ukraine territory. In 1926, Fox Film bought Movietone Sound Systems to produce sound to film. In 1927, Wilfred Rhodes became the only player in Cricket History to play 1000 first class matches. In 1929, Italy banned the use of foreign words. In 1942, Treblinka opened. On the same day in 1942, Bulgarian poet and Communist leader Nikola Vaptsarov was executed by firing squad, his one volume of poetry was titled "Motoring Verses." In 1943, the Rayleigh Bath murder occurred. In 1967, Detroit was in riot. In 1968 Ohio, a black militant named Ahmed had a shootout with police which preceded 5 days of riots. In 1982, the international Whaling Commission decided to end commercial Whaling by 1986. In 1992, A Vatican commission, led by Joseph Ratzinger, establishes that limiting certain rights of homosexual people and non-married couples is not equivalent to discrimination on grounds of race or gender.===For twenty two years I have been responsibly addressing an issue, and I cannot carry on. I am petitioning the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to remedy my distress. I leave it up to him if he chooses to address the issue. Regardless of your opinion of conservative government, the issue is pressing. Please sign my petition at https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/tony-abbott-remedy-the-persecution-of-dd-ball

Mr Ball, I will not sign your petition as it will do no good, but I will share your message and ask as many of friends who read it, to share it also. Let us see if we cannot use the power of the internet to spread the word of these infamous killings. As a father and a former soldier, I cannot, could not, justify ignoring this appalling action by the perpetrators, whoever they may;I thank you Douglas. You are wrong about the petition. Signing it is as worthless and meaningless an act as voting. A stand up guy would know that. - edLorraine Allen Hider I signed the petition ages ago David, with pleasure, nobody knows what it's like until they've been there. Keep heart David take care.

I have begun a bulletin board (http://theconservativevoice.freeforums.net) which will allow greater latitude for members to post and interact. It is not subject to FB policy and so greater range is allowed in posts. Also there are private members rooms in which nothing is censored, except abuse. All welcome, registration is free.

===

Happy birthday and many happy returns Anthony Martinez, Andrew Ngo,Daryn Lu, Lawrence L. Urquhart and Ricky Kek. Born on the same day, across the years. Along with Leopold Engleitner (1905), Bert Newton (1938), David Essex (1947), Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967) and Alison Krauss (1971). Revolution Day in Egypt (1952)1829 – William Austin Burt was awarded a patent for the typographer, the first practical typewriting machine.

1970 – Qaboos overthrew his father Said bin Taimur to become Sultan of Oman.1983 – Air Canada Flight 143 made an emergency landing in Gimli, Manitoba, Canada, without loss of life after the crew was forced to glide the aircraft when it completely ran out of fuel.

2001 – Megawati Sukarnoputri became the first female president of Indonesia after the People's Consultative Assembly removed Abdurrahman Wahid. A revolutionary day for you. You invented the type. You don't recognise what is clearly wrong. You are the Caboose that could. A first. Cheers.
Matches

1992 – A Vatican commission, led by Joseph Ratzinger, establishes that limiting certain rights of homosexual people and non-married couples is not equivalent to discrimination on grounds of race or gender.

Tim Blair – Wednesday,July 23,2014 (8:47am)

Two first cousins in an arranged marriage are being investigated for immigration and Centrelink fraud and rorting the baby bonus by returning to Australia from Lebanon for the births of some of their seven children.

The woman, 33, told the Federal Circuit Court sitting in Parramatta her husband also had her return several times to Australia solely to update Centrelink details so she could continue to get social security …

The now-estranged couple wed in Lebanon in 2001 two weeks after meeting in an arranged marriage. They returned to Australia and lived for a time with their relatives — the woman’s sister is married to the man’s brother.

A child bride allegedly married off at 12 was told sharia law “overrides” Australian law, court documents revealed …

The girl’s father and the 26-year-old man she “wed” were charged in February over numerous child sex offences.

Documents that formed part of a successful apprehended violence order application by police at the time against the girl’s “husband” state that the young girl “believed or had been informed that sharia law overrides the Australian law”.

“She stated that together with the accused they had been trying to get him registered as her legal guardian with Centrelink in order to obtain any welfare benefits they could,” the court documents state.

Some of Australian artist Pro Hart’s most significant paintings have
gone under the hammer in Melbourne, fetching $1.6 million for the
family’s estate.
It was the first time the 173 works from the Hart family’s private collection have been made available to the public.
One of the pieces, called Menindee Races, sold for more than $26,000…
Sophie Ullin from Leonard Joel Auction House told the ABC prices
exceeded expectations, saying the sale was so successful because the
artist’s appeal was far reaching.

The woman, 33, told the Federal Circuit Court sitting in Parramatta her
husband also had her return several times to Australia solely to update
Centrelink­ details so she could continue to get social security…
The now-estranged couple wed in Lebanon in 2001 two weeks after meeting
in an ­arranged marriage. They ­returned to Australia and lived for a
time with their relatives — the woman’s sister is married to the man’s
brother…
The husband, 39, was ­granted citizenship in 2006 in circumstances which
Judge Harman said troubled him since the couple had ­decided to live in
Lebanon.

How could immigration officials possibly have thought it in the national interest to grant this man citizenship?
(Via Tim Blair.)

Russian Lieutenant General Andrey
Kartopolov told the Moscow news conference: “A Ukrainian air force
military jet was detected gaining height, its distance from the
Malaysian Boeing was 3km to 5km. (We) would like to get an explanation
as to why the military jet was flying along a civil aviation corridor at
almost the same time and same level as a passenger plane.”
US officials dismissed the claim as “desperate” propaganda, pointing out
that Ukrainian fighters cannot operate at 33,000 feet where MH17 was
flying and that Ukraine had told Washington that none of its planes was
in the air at the time.
Russia also suggested MH17 might have been shot down by a Ukrain­ian
government surface-to-air Buk missile system rather than a
Russian-supplied system provided to rebels by Moscow.
As evidence, the Russian generals offered five aerial photos they
alleged showed Ukrainian forces had moved several missile systems into
the area of the crash in the days before the tragedy…
The photographic evidence released by Russia to back its claims was
inconclusive and lacking in context. It was unclear whether they showed
missile systems at all and if so, who owned them and what their
movements were near the time of the crash.

I don’t think Russia plans to give the inquiry into this disaster its full cooperation.
Only the Russian-backed side downed aircraft before the MH17 was shot
down. Only the Russian-backed side had in interest in shooting down
aircraft. Ukraine released alleged intercept calls of the Russian-backed
side boasting it had brought down a plane. Russian media initially
reported the Russian-backed rebels brought down an Antanov transport:

But now this.
UPDATE
Reader Tassierooster protests:

Um, the “US official” who pointed out that Ukrainian fighters cannot
operate at 33,000 feet where MH17 was flying should perhaps have checked
with the USAF before making such a stupid statement. The
Ukrainian AF has a number of fighters, including SU-27’s & Mig-29’s
whose operational ceiling is much higher than 33,000ft.
Needlessly making factually incorrect statements to shred the lame
excuses of the Russians will only give ammunition to those who want to
believe the BS coming out of Moscow.

SENIOR US intelligence officials say ... the passenger jet was likely
felled by an SA-11 surface-to-air missile fired by Russian-backed
separatists in eastern Ukraine and that Russia “created the conditions”
for the downing by arming the separatists.
They said the most probably explanation for why the plane was shot down
was that the rebels made a mistake. Separatists previously had shot down
12 Ukrainian military aeroplanes, the officials noted…
The officials made clear they were relying in part on social media
postings and videos made public in recent days by the Ukrainian
government, even though they have not been able to authenticate all of
it.
For example, they cited a video of a missile launcher said to have been
crossing the Russian border after the launch, appearing to be missing a
missile. But later, under questioning, the officials acknowledged they
had not yet verified that the video was exactly what it purported to be.
They said they did not know who fired the missile at MH17 or whether any Russian operatives were present at the missile launch.
They were also not certain that the missile crew was trained in Russia…
In terms of who fired the missile, “we don’t know a name, we don’t know a
rank and we’re not even 100 per cent sure of a nationality,” one
official said…
The claim that the Ukrainian government had shot down the plan was not
realistic, as Kiev had no such missile systems in that area, which is
clearly under the control of the rebels.

Commonly known by his nom-de-guerre Strelkov (which translates loosely from Russian as “Rifleman"), Igor Girkin
is one of the most effective military commanders the rebels have… He
says he was a reserve colonel in the FSB, Russia’s Federal Security
Service, until 31 March last year.
He is considered to be the commander-in-chief of both the self-declared
Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People’s republic (LPR).
The EU believes he works for Russian military intelligence (the GRU),
and has placed him under sanctions…
Shortly before news emerged that Flight MH17 had disappeared, a
statement attributed to Strelkov (later deleted) appeared on
Russian-language social media boasting that a Ukrainian army cargo plane
had been shot down. However, the only wreckage reported on 17 July was
that of the Malaysian airliner…
Igor Bezler is a prominent commander in charge of Horlivka, a
city of 300,000 people north-east of Donetsk. Born in Simferopol in
Crimea, he has a Russian military background and says he has both
Russian and Ukrainian citizenship.... Known as Bes (Demon), his voice
was identified by Ukrainian security services in a series of phone
intercepts which they say proved that MH17 had been shot down by the
separatists. US officials say they have verified the calls.

The prime minister of the DPR [Alexander Borodai] is a
Russian citizen from Moscow who describes himself as a professional
consultant who got involved in east Ukraine as a volunteer… Before
coming to Donetsk, he says he worked as a “political strategist” in
Crimea, reportedly for the pro-Russian rebel leadership there… He is
alleged to be an operative for GRU, Russia’s military intelligence.
Russian media reports link him to FSB, Russia’s Federal Security
Service.

Of all the broadcasters in all the world, the ABC chooses al Jazeera to
broadcast into Australia on its taxpayer-funded facilities, twice a
day, every day. We need the Doha regime’s broadcaster to interpret
world politics to us?
Know that Doha supports the Muslim Brotherhood, which in turn is close
to Hamas, the terrorist group which runs Gaza. And so, not surprisingly,
this is the top of today’s menu of opinion pieces on the al Jazeera website:

Get it off. Or let’s have the ABC also donate two hours a day to a news service from Israel.
Why not?

Joe Hockey’s first budget, which delivered
swingeing cuts to health, education and welfare, raised taxes and broke a
series of promises, was ‘’much softer’’ than the Treasurer had wanted, a
new biography published on Wednesday says.
Mr Hockey was convinced by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to take a more
cautious approach, delaying cuts to pensions and reducing the number of
people who would pay the deficit levy during meetings of the expenditure
review committee…
The revelations are contained in Hockey: Not Your Average Joe, written
by Fairfax Media columnist and long-time ABC broadcaster Madonna King…
The book quotes a source inside the room during meetings leading up to
the budget as saying: ‘’It wasn’t as tough as Joe would have liked but a
good compromise. Maybe it’s tougher than the Prime Minister would do if
Joe wasn’t there to drive it.’’
King, who had Mr Hockey’s co-operation for the book, goes on to say:
‘’In reality, the budget was much softer than Joe would have liked. He
wanted changes to pensions made earlier and the deficit levy to net more
taxpayers … But Abbott, who chaired each of the expenditure review
committee meetings, was taking a much more cautious approach than his
Treasurer, no doubt with one eye firmly on the reaction of voters.’’

I also don’t understand why Hockey would want it known that he wanted
his already unsaleable budget to be even tougher. I agree it should have
been, but I also accept it could not have been.

THE more than 700 who have been injured and the 100 who have been killed
... More than 70 per cent are women and children because Israel is
targeting the civilians of Gaza in these bombings …

So how come Hamas can build tunnels but not bomb shelters? Abdulateef al-Mulhim, Arab News, July 16:

SO, why Hamas was successful in spreading a sophisticated network of
tunnels and fail to build simple bomb shelters … Hamas leaders are jet
setters. They travel high class, stay at the best hotels and eat the
best food but their people are not paid their salaries on time and …
Hamas did not even think of building bomb shelters. So, is Hamas looking
for more innocent Palestinian casualties to gain more sympathy from the
outside world?

SARAH FERGUSON: You’ve chosen to fire those rockets into Israel and
it’s not clear from the outside what it is you’re hoping to achieve?
OSAMA HAMDAN (Hamas spokesman): Well, it’s clear that we are hoping to
achieve a long-term ceasefire which can protect the Palestinians with
guarantees that Israelis will not violate that another time.

In the 26 days between 12 June and 7 July, approximately 300 rockets
were fired from the Gaza Strip. Hamas directs its rockets at Israeli
civilians…

The operation was launched in response to rocket attacks, nothing more…
Moreover, while the rocket fire began on 12 June, the day that three
Israeli teenagers were kidnapped (and later found to have been
murdered), it started before Israel was aware that they had been taken
and searches by Israel’s security forces did not begin until the next
day…
When the attacks reached over 80 rockets a day, Israel had no choice but
to take action… On 8 July, Israel responded with Operation Protective
Edge.
The objective of the operation is to restore stability and quiet to the
residents of Israel, to damage Hamas’s capabilities and to destroy the
terror infrastructures directed against Israel and its citizens…
From 8-17 July, prior to start of ground actions, more than 1,497
rockets were launched at Israel (bringing the total since 12 June to
about 1,700). Approximately 301 rockets were intercepted by the Iron
Dome missile defense system, but 1,093 hit Israeli territory.
The vast majority of Israel’s population is in range of these missiles,
which have targeted villages, towns and major cities such as Jerusalem,
Tel Aviv and Haifa as well as the southern cities of Be’er Sheva, Ashdod
and Ashkelon…
On 15 July, Israel accepted the Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire and at
09:00 [Israel time] halted all its military activities in the Gaza
Strip.
Hamas ... continued to launch sustained rocket barrages at Israel.
Between 09:00-15:00, it fired approximately 50 rockets at Israeli towns
and cities… Hamas also continued firing during several humanitarian
lulls, including one proposed by the UN to allow Gazans to shop for
supplies and receive humanitarian and medical aid…
On 17 July, Israel began a ground phase of the operation. It followed
Hamas terrorists infiltrating into Israel through a terror tunnel
earlier that day to perpetrate a large-scale attack against Israeli
citizens in a kibbutz near the Gaza border…

The ground operation was ordered to strike at the terrorist tunnels from
the Gaza Strip that open up inside Israeli territory. Hamas built an
extensive network of elaborate tunnels to ... murder and kidnap Israeli
citizens as evidenced by the weapons, plastic handcuffs and anesthesia
taken from terrorists that managed to infiltrate Israeli territory
through these tunnels

UPDATE
Hamas doesn’t care if Palestinian children die. Why else would it hide
its rockets in schools? The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East protests:

This is the second time in a week UNRWA has found rockets in its schools. Last week:

Yesterday, in the course of the regular inspection of
its premises, UNRWA discovered approximately 20 rockets hidden in a
vacant school in the Gaza Strip. UNRWA strongly condemns the group or
groups responsible for placing the weapons in one of its installations.
This is a flagrant violation of the inviolability of its premises under
international law. This incident, which is the first of its kind in
Gaza, endangered civilians including staff and put at risk UNRWA’s vital
mission to assist and protect Palestine refugees in Gaza.

Washington Post correspondent Willian Booth, reporting from Gaza,
wrote in an article from 15 July: “At the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City,
crowds gathered to throw shoes and eggs at the Palestinian Authority’s
health minister, who represents the crumbling “unity government” in the
West Bank city of Ramallah. The minister was turned away before he
reached the hospital, which has become a de facto headquarters for Hamas
leaders, who can be seen in the hallways and offices."…
Another report by Washington Post correspondents from 17 July recounts:
“During the lull, a group of men at a mosque in northern Gaza said they
had returned to clean up the green glass from windows shattered in the
previous day’s bombardment. But they could be seen moving small rockets
into the mosque.” ...
Wall Street Journal Correspondent Nick Casey tweeted the following:

The Japanese daily Mainichi’s correspondent in Gaza reported on 21 July:

Hamas criticizes that ‘Israel massacres civilians’.
On the other hand, it tries to use evacuating civilians and journalists
by stopping them and turning them into ‘human shields,’ counteracting
thoroughly with its guerrilla tactics…

Contrary to international rules of warfare, Hamas has commandeered a
large hospital in Gaza City as its “de facto headquarters,” the
Washington Post reported. Buried eight paragraphs in, The Post‘s
correspondent, William Booth, wrote on July 15: “At the Shifa Hospital
in Gaza City, crowds gathered to throw shoes and eggs at the Palestinian
Authority’s health minister, who represents the crumbling ‘unity
government’ in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The minister was turned
away before he reached the hospital, which has become a de facto headquarters for Hamas leaders, who can be seen in the hallways and offices.”

On some basic level, you forfeit your right to be
called civilians when you freely elect members of a terrorist
organization as statesmen, invite them to dinner with blood on their
hands and allow them to set up shop in your living room as their base of
operations. At that point you begin to look a lot more like conscripted
soldiers than innocent civilians. And you have wittingly made yourself
targets.

4 her so she can see how I see her
===I did today's cartoon ten years ago back in 2003. The cartoon text uses accepted terminology in order to communicate smoothly. So the cartoon uses the accepted term "prisoners" rather than the more accurate "convicts."

In the latest set of rumors (2013) it seems that we're agreeing to release convicted murderers, to make Abbas and Kerry look good. Do you think that the name Pollard came up in the "prisoner" release discussions?

===That adds to the image! today is the day of first fruit (grape) harvest in ancient Israel .. a minor holiday for Jews .. a bit like Valentine's Day. They call it Tu B'Av and the season for grapes ends on Yom Kippur .. their holiest day .. which is Sept 16th this year. In the image, one dancer grasps a love letter .. ed
===Obama wanted him behind bars - ed
===In his defence, he is a Democrat - ed
===Cthulu found love, and left this - ed===Former Treasurer Peter Costello: The introduction of the Carbon Tax cost jobs. Its very purpose was to close down heavy smokestack industry. So reversing it should save jobs… That’s the reason for doing it. Yet when our Government announced it was cutting the carbon tax, it put hundreds of people out of work. It takes a special incompetence to destroy jobs when you are removing a job-destroying tax. These are the people who govern us.===Obama supporters in San Diego, California petition to grant the President immunity for any crimes he has committed or will commit while in office. Media analyst and author Mark Dice simply asks random people if they'll sign a petition to support Obama by granting him immunity for his crimes, and one person right after the other signs it to show support for dear leader.

Take a look at Mark's previous Man on the Street crazy petition videos and subscribe to to http://www.YouTube.com/MarkDice to see what happens next week, and check out his books in paperback on Amazon.com or e-book on Kindle, iBooks, Nook, or Google Play.

Mark Dice is a media analyst, political activist, and author who, in an entertaining and educational way, gets people to question our celebrity obsessed culture, and the role the mainstream media and elite secret societies play in shaping our lives.

Mark frequently stirs up controversy from his commentaries, protests, and boycotts, and has repeatedly been featured in major media outlets around the world.

Several of Mark's YouTube videos have gone viral, earning him a mention on ABC's The View, Fox News' O'Reilly Factor, CNN, Drudge Report, Infowars, TMZ, and other mainstream media outlets. Mark has also been featured in (or attacked in) the New York Post's Page Six, Rolling Stone Magazine, USA Today, The New York Daily News, and in major papers in Pakistan and Iran.

Mark Dice appears in several documentary films including Invisible Empire, The 9/11 Chronicles, and has been featured on the History Channel's Decoded, Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, the Sundance Channel's Love/Lust: Secret Societies and more.

He enjoys enlightening zombies, as he calls them, (ignorant people) about the mass media's effect on our culture, pointing out Big Brother's prying eyes, and exposing elite secret societies along with scumbag politicians and their corrupt political agendas.

The term "fighting the New World Order" is used by Mark to describe some of his activities, and refers to his and others' resistance and opposition (The Resistance) to the overall system of political corruption, illegal wars, elite secret societies, mainstream media, Big Brother and privacy issues; as well as various economic and social issues.

Dice and his supporters sometimes refer to being "awake" or "enlightened" and see their knowledge of these topics as part of their own personal Resistance to the corrupt New World Order. This Resistance involves self-improvement, self-sufficiency, personal responsibility and spiritual growth.

Mark Dice is the author of several books on current events, secret societies and conspiracies, including his newest book, Big Brother: The Orwellian Nightmare Come True which is available on Amazon.com, Kindle, Nook, Google Play and iBooks. While much of Mark's work confirms the existence and continued operation of the Illuminati today, he is also dedicated to debunking conspiracy theories and hoaxes and separating the facts from the fiction; hence the "Facts & Fiction" subtitle for several of his books. He has a bachelor's degree in communication from California State University.

If you have an iPad or Android tablet, then you can get his books in the iBooks or Google Play store for only $6.99 or $7.99. Or you can get paperback copies from Amazon.com too if you prefer a physical book. They are not available in stores. A lot of work and research went into them and they'll save you countless hours of web surfing or YouTube watching in your search for pieces of the puzzle.

The BBC’s documentary series from 2009, The Lost World of Communism, examined the legacy of communism twenty years after the fall of the Stalinist regimes of the Eastern Bloc, focusing on personal memories and descriptions of daily life. The three programmes of the series were each about a different country — East Germany, Czechoslovkia and Romania. Part 1, about East Germany, below.
===

The Labor Party faithful grit their teeth, unconvincingly defending positions they were denouncing only yesterday. They stand by helplessly watching their muted union comrades being attacked by a despised, recycled leader.They toss and turn, struggling to sleep with bellies full of Mylanta and hearts full of remorse. What have they allowed their beloved Party to become? And all for the sake of a few crappy seats.

They are desperate for an election date because only then, win lose or another draw, can they plan for the devil’s demise.

They have done it before, and they will do it all again.

Uncle Kev has done his best to ward off his fate. He even demanded that 75% of them must first agree to his execution... but they stood firm, staring him down to 60%, knowing that’s all they will need to rid themselves, once and for all, of the traitorous psychopath who is bereft of Labor values.

The Left is uncomfortable sitting somewhere to the Right of Abbott but they must get through this election without too much loss of life.

They must somehow retain the core of the force to enable a successful sortie on the enemy within.

This shell of a man, with puerile popularity his only prop, will have no blindfold. He will be made to watch as the sights settle on his pudgy frame. No blanks in this squad.

Only then, when the smell of gunpowder has dispersed and Uncle Kev lies in an unmarked shallow pit, can their beloved Party be reclaimed.

Only then, can it once again become the rightful plaything of corrupt unions.

1992 – A Vatican commission, led by Joseph Ratzinger, establishes that limiting certain rights of homosexual people and non-married couples is not equivalent to discrimination on grounds of race or gender.

Morning

Christ Jesus is joined unto his people in marriage-union. In love he espoused his Church as a chaste virgin, long before she fell under the yoke of bondage. Full of burning affection he toiled, like Jacob for Rachel, until the whole of her purchase-money had been paid, and now, having sought her by his Spirit, and brought her to know and love him, he awaits the glorious hour when their mutual bliss shall be consummated at the marriage-supper of the Lamb. Not yet hath the glorious Bridegroom presented his betrothed, perfected and complete, before the Majesty of heaven; not yet hath she actually entered upon the enjoyment of her dignities as his wife and queen: she is as yet a wanderer in a world of woe, a dweller in the tents of Kedar; but she is even now the bride, the spouse of Jesus, dear to his heart, precious in his sight, written on his hands, and united with his person. On earth he exercises towards her all the affectionate offices of Husband. He makes rich provision for her wants, pays all her debts, allows her to assume his name, and to share in all his wealth. Nor will he ever act otherwise to her. The word divorce he will never mention, for "He hateth putting away." Death must sever the conjugal tie between the most loving mortals, but it cannot divide the links of this immortal marriage. In heaven they marry not, but are as the angels of God; yet there is this one marvellous exception to the rule, for in Heaven Christ and his Church shall celebrate their joyous nuptials. This affinity as it is more lasting, so is it more near than earthly wedlock. Let the love of husband be never so pure and fervent, it is but a faint picture of the flame which burns in the heart of Jesus. Passing all human union is that mystical cleaving unto the Church, for which Christ left his Father, and became one flesh with her.

Evening

If there be one place where our Lord Jesus most fully becomes the joy and comfort of his people, it is where he plunged deepest into the depths of woe. Come hither, gracious souls, and behold the man in the garden of Gethsemane; behold his heart so brimming with love that he cannot hold it in--so full of sorrow that it must find a vent. Behold the bloody sweat as it distils from every pore of his body, and falls upon the ground. Behold the man as they drive the nails into his hands and feet. Look up, repenting sinners, and see the sorrowful image of your suffering Lord. Mark him, as the ruby drops stand on the thorn-crown, and adorn with priceless gems the diadem of the King of Misery. Behold the man when all his bones are out of joint, and he is poured out like water and brought into the dust of death; God hath forsaken him, and hell compasseth him about. Behold and see, was there ever sorrow like unto his sorrow that is done unto him? All ye that pass by draw near and look upon this spectacle of grief, unique, unparalleled, a wonder to men and angels, a prodigy unmatched. Behold the Emperor of Woe who had no equal or rival in his agonies! Gaze upon him, ye mourners, for if there be not consolation in a crucified Christ there is no joy in earth or heaven. If in the ransom price of his blood there be not hope, ye harps of heaven, there is no joy in you, and the right hand of God shall know no pleasures for evermore. We have only to sit more continually at the cross foot to be less troubled with our doubts and woes. We have but to see his sorrows, and our sorrows we shall be ashamed to mention. We have but to gaze into his wounds and heal our own. If we would live aright it must be by the contemplation of his death; if we would rise to dignity, it must be by considering his humiliation and his sorrow.

Today's Old Testament reading: Psalm 31-32

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;let me never be put to shame;deliver me in your righteousness.2 Turn your ear to me,come quickly to my rescue;be my rock of refuge,a strong fortress to save me.3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,for the sake of your name lead and guide me.4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,for you are my refuge.5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

Today's New Testament reading: Acts 23:16-35

16 But when the son of Paul's sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him." 18 So he took him to the commander.

The centurion said, "Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you."

19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, "What is it you want to tell me?"

20 He said: "Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21 Don't give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request."

22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: "Don't tell anyone that you have reported this to me."

The Gittite leader who, with six hundred Philistines, attached himself to David at the outbreak of Absalom's rebellion. This inhabitant of Gath was determined to follow David in all his trials. How admirable was the affirmation of his loyalty to the fugitive king: "As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be" (2 Sam. 15:21 ). Although a stranger and not of Israel, Ittai was more faithful than many who were Israelites by birth. His fidelity brought him a position of great trust (2 Sam. 18:2).

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About Me

I'm author of History in a Year by the Conservative Voice aka History of the World in a Year by the Conservative Voice.

I'm the Conservative Voice.

I'm looking to make contact with those who might use my skill.

I have an m-audio mobile pre amp fed by the audiotechnica 2041sp condensor mic pack. Prior to 15/4/06, I'd used a Shure sm-58 that required a nuclear blast to register a sound or the internal mic of my aged imac, which has a penchance to recording my breathing. I also used a Griffin itrip, until the community convinced me it was not hiding my talent as well as the other mics.

I am a Writer and an occasional Math Teacher (Sir, what's the occasion?). I like to sing, having no instrumental talent (cannot even clap in time, and yes, I'm aware singing badly IS obnoxious).

I have performed the finale to Les Miserables before an audience of 500. I have also sung before a similar audience (students, parents) renditions of 'I Will' (Beatles), 'Mr Cairo' (Jon Vangelis) and 'I am Australian' (Seekers). Now I seek another profession because the audience hates me ..